High Fertiliser Prices Generate Uncertainty Among Italian Cereals Farmers

Fertiliser prices reaching an all-time high in Italy would have significant consequences for the 2023 cereal grain and wheat crop. In Italy, autumn is the period in which cereals including common wheat, durum wheat, and barley are sown, and nitrogen and phosphorus play a crucial role in the fertilisation of these grains. These elements stimulate the initial crop development making the plants stronger in the first vegetative stages and resistant to parasites and climatic adversities. Unfortunately, the low supply and high prices of fertilisers can lead farmers to curtail production. October prices of NPK 12-12-12 fertilisers have risen to USD 820/MT, a 55% increase compared to September 2021 .